Every Witch Way: One Shot Collection
by Jem.Rainbow
Summary: A series of stories that may serve no purpose, or may serve one. All of it's just fun, though. Come on in and take a peek.
1. Welcome!

**Hello, my wonderful love bugs! How are you?**

 **Eww. That sounds messed up...**

 **Well, anyway. This is the Author's Note Intro + small treat to my one shot series! I hate having so many stories out, so I'm making a collection to increase my average story word count. Yes, I love word counts, sue me.**

 **This is where a random collection of Jemma, Miego, Phandi, and other stories will be placed from now on, because descriptions suck. As a matter of fact, I like posting chapters to stories far more than making all new ones for one shots**

 **If any of you ever want to request something, like a story, though there are no guarantees, this is where I'd do it. Its just easier for me.**

 **I have a ton on my plate, and may not complete my challenge, that I so stupidly chose to curse myself with! But, if I have to fail, I'm working on resolutions. Write more, set up things I've never had, maybe expand to new archives (I'm not leaving, I promise) and other stuff, too.**

 **I have a list of plans I have for next year, and here they are:**

 **January:**

 **•Close Missing Piece Poll (on my profile now!) And attempt to end the story. Also, begin rough drafts of the either prequel or sequel, whatever the result is**

 **•Work on plots for epic new release (Coming Soon! TBA)**

 **•Reach out more to my readers. We almost never communicate!**

 **February:**

 **•End Another Chance, my Haven story. Their archive has died, as has my interest**

 **•Find a damn beta! Anyone who wants to volunteer would be great. I need one. Bad.**

 **•Release my congratulatory "It would have been one year since you met Andrew and you're over him" story. Though I may not be over him. Fuck.**

 **That's all I am going to say for now. I have big plans next year! I love you guys!**

 **Now, for a Jemma teaser, for Missing Piece:**

 **I look down at my hand, covering his, my heart pumping hard in my throat. I don't know how after I told him I knew for two weeks, he still blamed himself for leaving me while I was pregnant, and what happened to Kelsea because of it. Even if he knew I was in danger.**

 **Even if I would've done the same damn thing, had it been him.**

 **"You can't blame yourself, Jax. What your mother pulled was out of your control. I would have done what you did, if it was you in danger. Me not telling you we were going to have a child together, and then you leaving for my safety, is not your fault."**

 **He looked at me, finally. "You'd be surprised what I can blame myself for, Emma."**

 **I want to groan and smack him. He is so stubborn! "I'll tell you what." I slid closer to him, until my side was pressed to his, ignoring the burning in my stomach because I knew it would be taken care of in minutes. "How about we call it even?"**

 **He forced a smile. "Well never be even, Em. One kept secret will never make up for the hell you went through."**

 **"Jax." I plead, giving him my apparently irresistable puppy dog eyes. He sighed.**

 **"Fine. For your sake, we'll call it even." He smiled for real, and so did I. Once again my eyes drifted to our hands, clasped, and the courage I felt a few hours ago returned. A wicked grin crossed my face.**

 **"Good. Because it has been way too long since I've done this."**

 **AAANNDDD CUT! Teaser gone. Goodnight!**

 **Yes, I suck. Welcome to the one shot collection!**


	2. No Breaks

**You have to be kidding me.**

 **Okay so, I have this thing, that I call a back up file. It carries a lot of stories in it, waiting for a moment when I may need to increase my word count. Like, now. But it crashed, and I lost it.**

 **All 34k words of it. Holy shit!**

 **It took months to build up all that material! Months! That was my saving grace for this challenge, because I hate failure with such a damn passion it is sad and kind of pathetic. I don't have a back up, now.**

 **What the hell do I do? I'm screwed. There are exactly 72 hours left for me to publish over ten thousand words. Ten fucking thousand! That I do not have! I am screwed.**

 **How were your holidays? Mine were great. I loved Christmas. I have two new journals for when I don't have computer access, so I can write or schedule things! Amazing!**

 **My break sucks, though. I am so stressed, because I did something during a talk with David that I most likely shouldn't have, so he probably thought I was flirting with him when honest to the heavens and lord above, I was just trying to be a supportive, good friend to lean on, for him. You know, because I know better than anyone from watching Andrew with his ex, as well as my own boy drama, how much age an grade gaps suck, considering the bull shit count you get from family, friends, and maybe even strangers.**

 **Also, by the way, I'm working on a Dia story, and a Miego one for this series of one shots. This is the sequel to Separation Won't Work, and it takes place in April. Jax and Emma have been together for seven months, here, which seems like not long for me, but the time frame works so I have to suck it up and remember that most teenagers in this decade are sleeping with a partner they have been with that long.**

 **Now, back to the word count increasing life update nobody wants. I am seriously contemplating making one of my best friend's lives into a new series. See, she is in a special situation you only see in movies.**

 **Except, well, I went through similar. And, for her privacy, since it is my life, I will rehash my Andrew story rather than share hers.**

 **Andrew was my best friend. I fell for him, hard. Really hard. Long story short, he liked another girl, I went out with 'Daniel' (using the fake name from You, the story that goes into detail on my love life) and it was mainly to try and get over Andrew, because he was also a bad boy. I'm not proud, but it happened. I failed, and the rest is history.**

 **Well, she is in the "Oh, well my friend that my mom loves likes me, the other guy smokes pot, and I can just get over him with the good guy" mindset I was in. Except, Andrew was a different kind of criminal. Not violent, but maybe worse than a druggie.**

 **I have to wait for this to blow up in her face, and be her shoulder to cry on. This will be rough. I hope she has better luck than I do, and it works out in her favor. But she still wants the bad guy, even though she's going for the good one.**

 **Classic flashback, anyone? Figured we would all make the connection. But, I feel like Andi, because I don't want her anywhere near the bad guy. However, the heart wants what it wants, which is usually stupid stuff.**

 **Anyway, I'm done, now. But what do you think? Since she actually gave me the okay, and was the one to suggest I make it a book, what if I do?**

 **Disclaimer: Every Witch Way is not, nor will it ever be, mine. It isn't even close. Sorry.**

"You aren't serious." Emma laughed without any humor. Her eyes scanned the faces of Agamemnon, Desdemona, and Lily, searching for even a trace of amusement to hint this was a two week late April Fool's joke. When there wasn't one, she squeezed Jax's hand, trying to comfort herself with the feeling of his fingers laced between hers. She stole a glance at him, and saw his jaw clenched, borderline anger mixed with terror in his face.

They were kidding. They had to be. Just last month they were talking about how incredibly happy the were for them!

"I'm afraid we are, Emma." Lily was the first to respond, her apology written in her eyes. Emma swallowed hard, feeling as though an earthquake only she could feel was occurring, inside her stomach.

This wasn't happening. It was some twisted joke, or a nightmare. She'd wake up in Jax's arms in moments and the council would not be telling them this. It would be over.

She pinched her thigh, and the awakening didn't come. Emma gulped, again.

"This is absolutely ridiculous! It was _one_ trip to the zoo gone wrong! Christ, if it weren't for that nosy girl scout mother, we never even would've been seen!" She protested, quite loudly. They got caught using magic _once_. And the woman didn't even remember. There was no way she was breaking up with Jax just because the council wasn't happy about her casting a spell in what they thought was an empty, camera less room.

She loved him. They had slept together, for God's sake! There was a snowball's chance in surviving Satan's castle that she would let them have their way. Not going to happen.

"You must understand, Ms Alonso," Aggie started. Emma felt the dizziness encase her, and the nausea spread through her body, making the nurse's office feel as if it were lacking oxegon. Her blood, her bones, her heart, her lungs, all of it. This was some sick dream; it had to be. "Your predicament was a direct result of reckless actions. Had you not publicly used your powers in the first place, you would never have been caught."

Jax and Emma both tensed up. He had a point.

They were screwed.

"Agamemnon, I-"

"It has come to the attention of us all that your behavior has changed quite drastically since Mr Novoa coming into your life. Your misconduct has been a direct result of this so called, _relationship_ ," He sneered it, and Emma clenched her free hand into a fist. "And I refuse to stand for it any longer."

Cold fire lit Emma's skin, trailing over her body. For the first time in her life, she had nothing. No smart remark, no comeback, no defense. She was frozen, boiling rage and ice cold fear swirling with the urge to sob as she stood there, looking at them all like she wasn't even breathing.

"Now, hold on just one minute," Jax took a step forward, thankfully directing the attention of the council toward himself, so Emma could recover from her moment of confusion and shock. Silently, she thanked him. "Do we not get a say in this? It's our lives that this is affecting, not yours. Is it not reasonable for us to even talk about this?"

It wasn't actually a question; of course talking it out was the smart, reasonable thing to do. However, two thirds of the council were comprised of cynical SOBs, and both Emma and Jax knew it.

"You are in no position to make demands here, Jax." Desdemona barked. Something snapped within Emma upon hearing that, and rage was the emotion that took over. How dare she speak to him like that! This was not even his fault!

"Who do you think you three are, trying to blame my boyfriend for my actions when they were mine alone?" She hissed, making everyone else, including Jax, jump slightly and focus on her. Her jaw was tight and her eyes were cold but burning, their narrowed state scaring the hell out of Jax. He almost didn't mind when she dropped his hand.

"Emma." Lily warned with concern, arms crossed. The witch took her tone worth a grain of sand, and looked at Jax. She gave him a forced, reassuring smile.

"I've got this." He nodded, and stepped back. One thing he knew by now was when Emma said she could handle something, unless you wanted to die, you didn't doubt her.

"Look, I am more than well aware that all of you want what's best for me. I'm grateful for it, really. But you all need to learn your places! I am seventeen damn years old! That means I am _fully_ capable of making my own decisions, including whether I do or do not belong with or around somebody!" Her arms crossed.

Everyone was in slight disbelief, including Jax. Emma didn't cuss, ever. Well, there was one other situation where she did, but that was much different (and far more pleasurable) than their current one.

"Watch your tone with me, young lady." Desdemona scolded. Once again, it didn't even make a dent in Emma's resolve. The flashbacks of all her time with Jax, all the reasons she had to never give what they had up, were not going away any time soon and while they were happening so was this fight. She wasn't giving in without one hell of a war.

"And you watch your behavior! Seriously, Desdemona! You were supposed to be my mother's best friend! How do you think she would react if she were here right now, seeing and hearing what the three of you are doing? Can you actually tell me she would be okay with you trying to tear me away from the only person in this world I have ever loved because you blame him for a screw up I made?"

Hell was about to rain down upon the Witch's Council; Jax could already see it coming. Too bad Emma would murder him if he were to magic up some popcorn to watch her chew their asses out for trying to break them up.

He was only so amused because he knew damn well she was going to win. They always won.

Desdemona went deathly silent, and looked at her feet. Maria would be pissed, and she knew it. Seven months ago she and Lily convinced Agamemnon to leave Emma and Jax alone. Now, because she took his side over hers, Emma's, and Maria's, she was being yelled at for being a terrible person toward Emma. And she had been. She deserved this.

"And as for you, Lily." The witch turned her gaze to her former guardian. "You're supposed to be on my side! You are supposed to be the one that helps me make them see reason. But instead, you chose to not say a single word in my or Jax's defense when they sprung this preposterous thing on us!"

Lilly sighed, and tried to think up the best apology she could. "I'm sorry."

Part of Emma calmed down. But, she was still pissed. She nodded, and gave Lily a half second twitch at the corner of her mouth that was almost a smile. "Yeah. I figured."

And then, it was Agamemnon's turn. He was going to get it worse than anyone else. Much, much worse.

"Agamemnon, you really just don't know what the hell you're talking about." Emma deadpanned. "You've never been in love. You have never witnessed love. You are a detached, aged jackass who thinks he knows better than I do because he's older than me, even though you've never experienced the feelings I have. I'm sorry that you blame Jax for my actions. But that doesn't make you right."

He opened his mouth, but Emma best him to the punch. "I'm seventeen. That means I'm stupid sometimes. I'm going to do crazy things. I'll really screw up sometimes. But that is going to happen with or without Jax in my life, and if you believe otherwise you clearly have no experience with teenagers. I'm sticking up for myself and my relationship. The answer is no. Jax and I are not going to break up, regardless of your or anyone else's opinion on the matter. Have I made myself clear?"

She stared him directly in the face, without any fear. The wizard set his jaw and let out a groan. "Crystal."

Emma smiled, though forced herself to hold back her joy. She actually just intimidated the whole damn council! "Thank you. Now, if you will excuse us, my boyfriend and I would like to enjoy our Wednesday afternoon."

She turned, not waiting for his reply, and grabbed Jax's hand. "Come on. We don't want to be late for pizza with everybody."

With that, they walked out, leaving the entire council wondering what the hell had gotten into Emma.

* * *

"Who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?" Jax chuckled the moment they were down the hall, safely out of earshot. Emma laughed in response.

"Was I really that bad? I mean, I know I was pissed, and started cussing them out and humiliating them and all, but I don't remember much. Honestly I blacked out a little from all the adrenaline and anger."

Jax rubbed one of her still covered shoulders. The meeting happened right after school ended, and Andi, Phillip, Maddie, Diego, the Panthers, Mia, and Daniel were waiting at the Seven for their weekly pizza fest. This would be one hell of a story to tell. Andi sure would get a kick out of it.

"I don't think you went far enough. Agamemnon may have nearly peed himself, but I would've tried to scare him more. Even when you're livid you take it too easy on people." He chuckled again and shook his head. Emma was scary when she was mad, until she used magic. Glitter and teddy bears were not very intimidating.

"You see, this is why I love you. You make me feel sane when I feel bad for something I really shouldn't, and remind me that I couldn't be bad if I tried. We balance each other." She leaned on a locker, and laced her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a three second kiss. "I think we may be unstable time bombs if we didn't have each other."

He nodded, and slipped his hands under her top, just a few inches. "Yeah. Thank God and whatever fire you have been secretly hiding from me we don't have to find out."

She laughed, once again, but it faded into a guilty frown. "I don't know what happened, honestly. All I know is the thought of losing you froze me for a second, and when I started moving, I couldn't stop. My inhibitions and my filter had left me, and all I wanted was to verbally gut them into submission. Who the hell am I?"

"You are the most wonderful woman I have ever met." He answered truthfully, and her face went red. "I mean it, Em. Don't for a second believe they deserved any less than what you gave them. It could've been worse for them, but you didn't make it. You are too nice, and nobody deserves it."

Another grin crossed her face, and she pulled him back to her, trying to ignore the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She knew even if they did separate them, they would still be together, just sneaking around. But she could have potentially lost Jax, the best thing that had ever happened to her, just by not speaking up like she did. That made her feel so brave, and proud of herself.

She knew her mom would be proud, too, even though she cussed them out.

"I love you." He murmured against her neck, gently squeezing her hips. And all new fire sparked inside of Emma, and the thought that Gigi wouldn't be using "Studio A" that afternoon graced her mind for a moment, all too tempting. But, she swallowed it, reminded that her best friend would kill her for blowing off Pizza Fest.

"I love you, too." Emma shut her eyes and sighed in bliss, giving herself a few moments to enjoy his kisses and her hazy, guttered mind before she pushed him away, gently. "But Andi will actually kill us if we don't show. Maybe Maddie, too. So, we have to go."

Jax groaned in annoyance. "Fine."

" _However_." Emma started, causing him to instantly perk up upon seeing the sparkle in her eyes and the mischievous grin she was giving him. "My dad is staying with Ursula, tonight. How about I make it up to you later?"

Suddenly, Jax's mood vastly improved. "Done!"

Another giggle left her mouth, and she gave him one last kiss before leaving school, hand in hand, and abandoning all the stress the council left on them with it. Maybe this would be the last of that argument, maybe it wouldn't.

But Jemma was more than happy to know there would be no break ups, or breaks, or suffering.

And all either could really do, was count down the hours until her dad left the house.

* * *

 **Ha ha, that ending, though! I had to laugh. It is midnight, and I am not ready for what is in store. An all night writing session. I haven't pulled one in months, maybe even a year. This is what I get for slacking. Let this be a lesson, children. If you make a commitment, stick to it. Your life will be much, much easier than mine.**

 **Or, just don't promise 50k words in 90 days when you have never tried such a thing, before.**

 **Review?**


	3. All The Time

**Ah, yes. Hello my friends, and welcome to 72-hour bootcamp, where I try desperately to write as much as possible and not become a failure! This will probably be the hardest freaking thing I have ever done. It is currently twelve forty five, I'm tired, and hungry, and really trying hard. I can feel the warm hugs and support you are all sending, and I thank you for it.**

 **Though, I'd be more thankful if said support came with some freaking coffee...**

 **Disclaimer: This story is sad. Every Witch Way and its characters do not belong to me. This is a hobby that I willingly slave over and suffer for, because I'm a teen girl with no life, and am probably insane.**

* * *

She shouldn't have been so upset when she put down the phone. Love ends, all the time. People separate or grow apart and it just kind of goes like that. The odds were never in their favor. He was a kanay, and she was a witch. From a social standing, even if she were human it would be considered insanity for her to have fallen in love with someone of a lower class than her family came from. It was twisted, but that was the way it worked, and had been for centuries.

Maddie glanced around her New York apartment, wishing she could be in Chicago, with Diego, cuddling and kissing and making up for the fight they just had. The last fight they would ever have.

This happened all the damn time. They were far from special. Making it was something nobody but Emma, a blind, hopeless romantic, ever thought they could do. It was over before it began, for them.

But it hurt, and it burned, and her throat was tight and her eyes were watery, threatening to spill the tears and allow that perfect, practiced resolve she had created over the years fall apart.

If she called Katie and Sophie, they were ten minutes away, ready to bring fro yo and lecture her about how much Diego sucked and every reason he wasn't good enough for her. If she called Emma, she would get what she needed: empathy from a girl who also lost the love of her life to the distance and stress college brought. Emma hadn't talked to Jax in three months, since June. It was their anniversary, soon.

She couldn't do that to Emma. It was wrong to crave help from a girl that was suffering more than she was. Much as she hated it, Emma loved Jax more than Maddie ever could have loved Diego. She wasn't capable of love as strong as Emma was.

Maddie fingered the charm bracelet he had given her, four months ago in May, when she turned eighteen. It had the words 'against all odds' engraved in fancy print on the back of the heart charm. That was her favorite thing to say, with Diego. They would make it against all odds.

This was all she had left of him, now. She would never see him, her Proxy, her love, again. Because distance and time ripped people apart. It ripped Jemma apart before they were even separated, and they were the strongest couple of all of them, for Christ's sake.

But love ends. People get hurt. She did, Emma did, everyone did. It was a part of life that burned, ands she'd do anything to skip it. But she couldn't. And she couldn't help crying when she realized she would never hear his voice, touch his skin, or feel his kiss, ever again.

If she could go back and choose not to fight, she would in a heart beat. Take back the words, take back the yelling, if she could, take back his own, too. Because he ended it.

She agreed, though. He was right there, on the end of the line, and her heart was breaking, but she agreed instead of apologizing, negotiating, or begging him not to give up on them.

Maddie never begged for anything, ever. It didn't happen. However, in that moment all she wanted was to beg. Her pride didn't let her, though, and now she was sobbing on her bed, in her wide open, empty apartment, waiting for her friends to return from whatever was so important at nine in the morning when they had class at ten.

This sucked, and crying seemed like the only thing she could or would ever do again. The thought of going to class that day made her physically ill, to the point that skipping seemed like the only viable option.

But, that would be the immature, irresponsible choice. That is what a fifteen year old girl would do. She was an adult, and she had to act like it, now. Drag herself out of bed, redo her makeup, take off the damn bracelet, and move through the day the same way Emma did. She had seen her future sister three weeks ago, and for a girl whose love life and world were shattered not long before, she sure seemed fine, and strong.

If Maddie could trade places with her, she would. Maybe the pain would increase, maybe it wouldn't. The ability to act like she was okay made it all seem worth it, though.

She laid down, hugging herself and the thin, white fabric of her cardigan, relishing in the chill of the apartment. New York was much, much colder than Miami ever dreamed of being. It felt colder than Christmas, already! Emma warned her, but dear lord, had she underestimated how serious she was. The snow would be up to her butt, and probably far less fun than when Diego made out happen back home...

Maddie curled up into a ball and whimpered, the reminder of her b- ex, making her heart ache even more. Now she truly understood pain. Their first break up never hurt like this did. Last time, there was no clear sign that they would never be together again. She had a chance that she didn't, now.

This time was different for her, but not for the world, because things like this happened every single minute of every single hour of every single day of every week of every month of the ear, every year. She wasn't the first college girl to end a relationship with her boyfriend, and she damn sure would never be the last. If she ever did have kids, her daughter would experience it, too.

But it still hurt. She was still reeling and gasping for air like it was all she could do. Every fiber in her being was begging for mercy, for a break, for one more chance to make everything right between them. Then, the last thing Maddie ever expected to happen happened.

If by the grade of God above, in answer to her prayer, her phone buzzed, and the photograph for Diego's contact appeared on the screen...

* * *

 **Oh, am I evil! That was so cruel. I'm sorry for writing a story that made even me cry, ending it with a happy cliffhanger, and then laughing. That was mean of me.**

 **Anyone catch the pattern? No? Look at the first word of every paragraph if you didn't. It's a repetition sequence, or in a less fancy term, pattern. She, Maddie, This, But, If. Four times. I did that on purpose.**

 **I love you guys, even if I am suffering so I can complete the impossible for you!**

 **Review? (Please. I'm so tired and all I want is some feedback so I can smile)**


	4. I Can't

**I am grasping at straws and random, 300 word documents trying my hardest to find anything and everything I can turn into a story. Really. Everything.**

 **This story takes place a few months after Trying, and I think while it does include mentions of behaviors and situations that occur in eating disorders, this TW can be A LITTLE bit lighter. But only a bit. Any story can be triggering when it deals with this subject, and therefore I strongly advise anyone that is trigger sensitive to back away and read another of my stories.**

 **Disclaimer: Every Witch Way is not mine. All of the information included in this story regarding behaviors is based on personal experience with myself and others as well as some limited research.**

* * *

 _113.4_

Emma Alonso bit her lip and shut her eyes, sighing. It was December 15th, and she had made herself a promise about scales and her eating disorder yesterday. Actually, a few promises.

1\. No monitoring calorie intake

2\. No getting on the scale at least until the new year

3\. Eat like she didn't have a disorder

So far, all she had managed to follow was the last. However, it wasn't breakfast time yet.

Everyone was so proud of her, yesterday. She did well. Avoided the scale, until midnight when she got on because she couldn't sleep.

Now here she was. Square one.

Tears pricked her eyes and she groaned. Treatment would be forced on her if she didn't stop this shit. One wrong move, and Jax would know.

That was what she got, for moving in with her boyfriend when he knew she had an eating disorder.

She had gained four pounds. Two thousand calories had made her put on four pounds. Yes, Emma knew mathematically that was inaccurate. However, _disordered_ Emma only cared what the scale told her.

And that, was that she was a fat idiot.

Self control was something Emma had always prided herself on. Part of the reason it took her so long to admit to herself she was in love with Jax was because she knew it wasn't something she was okay with, but she had no control over it.

He was the only thing she was okay with having absolutely no say in. Her weight, was the exact opposite.

Emma groaned, and ran her fingers through her hair. Andi knew she was trying, but she would ask questions. She knew she couldn't lie to her best friend. The girl had lived through anorexia, for God's sake. Put that and Emma's shitty lying skills together, she was screwed the second she left the house.

Maybe she shouldn't have been as focused or concerned with this as she was. Maybe she should have walked right out, eaten breakfast, and reminded herself that the scale did not dictate her worth.

That was what a smart person would do, if they didn't have a disorder. They would try to forget the number and nourish their body, especially since Emma could feel her stomach growl.

Instead, she headed right for the running shoes. Because she didn't know how else to act.

 _I can't._ She thought. _I just can't._

* * *

December 16th

 _110.2_

She stepped off and groaned inwardly. Three miles of running, two hours of interval training, a whole day of fasting until she ate a bowl of popcorn with Andi, which was Skinny Pop because 'recovery' was baby steps, and nothing but three and a quarter pounds had left the scale.

She felt like a failure. All those calories, and nothing.

This was ridiculous and she knew it. She should go out into the kitchen ands eat, like she should have the day before. She really should.

But fear and anguish and self hatred overcame her, making the tears threaten to fall.

 _Stupid._ The voice in her head spoke up, sounding like her, although she knew it was far from it. _You are stupid, and threw away everything for your own stupid cravings. You aren't anorexic so you don't need to stop. Four miles and an extra half hour._

Drill sergeant was the best way Emma could describe the voice. It was commanding, and impossible to turn down. So, she did what she knew she shouldn't.

She put on her shoes, left a note saying she went to the park to take pictures, for Jax when he woke up, and ran. Magic would fix the sweat and the smell.

* * *

December 20th

 _111.0_

A few days of running, and being a bit less mean to herself than she had been the first two after her binge, Emma took the quick opportunity she had while Jax was at the store, buying the last of the food they'd need for Christmas, to weight herself. She had had breakfast and lunch; it was three in the afternoon, after all.

But she wasn't happy.

She stepped off, went to her bedrrom, and fell on the bed with a groan. She couldn't run because he would be home, soon.

Christmas was really something she was dreading. Ham and turkey and macaroni and bread and stuffing and all sorts of food. Food she couldn't reject, less she allow everyone to realize she had relapsed within less than a day of trying to get better.

She was broken, and incapable, and pathetic. It was crazy that she couldn't do this. It was just as easy as eating. There was a reason gaining weight was so much easier than losing it. Her doctor wanted her back up to 117 at least, before she could stop going once a month. The quarters in her bra and heavy sweaters trick stopped working, too.

In five days, she would be expected to consume a ridiculous amount of food. And if she didn't, her secret would be out.

Emma shut her eyes, and bit her lip. She had to do it. It was noi longer debatable. When Jax got home, she absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, had to tell him she couldn't do this on her own.

It was going to hurt, and it was going to suck, and she didn't want to. The look on his face was going to make her feel so, so terrible. But, she had to, for herself. He would want her to come clean and ask him to take care of her, because deep down she knew it was the strong, brave thing to do.

The truth it was, then.

"Em. I'm home!"

 _I can't._ She thought miserably. _But I have to._

And, with all the strength she didn't have, she pulled herself into the kitchen, and told him everything.

Except the work outs and the fasting...

* * *

 **I'm working! I think if literally nothing on this Earth gets in my way, I can hit the 50k mark! Anyone else stoked?**

 **Love you, guys! I'm sorry for all the angst lately, but for some odd reason writing drama helps me escape my own drama. I hope this was at least entertaining, and inspired anyone out there that didn't feel the need to listen to the TW to always put their health first, take a step forward, and get better. You are worth it!**

 **Review?**


	5. Kanay Babies

**Hiya! This has been a long time coming, but I finally got off my butt and finished it! I always wondered if since Mia had her powers before her parents died, maybe kanays worked differently than witches when out came to development. So, I wrote a story about Daniel, Diego, Phillip, and Jax being tortured by a small child.**

 **Because I'm cruel. Lol.**

 **Anyway, I hope this is enjoyable for you. Please excuse any grammatical errors; in my current situation I can only do a basic once over of the story. Sorry.**

 **Disclaimer: Every Witch Way is not mine. This story carries a high risk of death by laughter. I am not responsible for the casualties caused by this story. Continue at your own risk. You have been warned.**

 **P.S. That thing about death was over dramatic, in case anyone is scared.**

* * *

"Please Daniel! It's just a couple hours!"

"No way! He will set me on _fire,_ Mia!"

Daniel Miller was currently arguing with his wife, Mia, about their 17 month old son, Trevor. Mia had planned a day out with the girls, despite said day requiring Daniel to watch Trevor. Alone. For five hours.

How do you watch a child that likes to set stuff on fire?!

"Not if you do it right! Just let him watch cartoons, make him food, and don't cause a tantrum."

"That's easy for you to say! Mia, when you're not here he is very hard to handle!"

"Please Daniel. You know I haven't really had a real girl's day since the baby was born. You can call the guys over to help. Just for today, I'm begging you!" She pleaded, giving him her sweet face. She gently grabbed his arm, and slid her body up against his, knowing just how to get what she wanted.

Daniel sighed, surpressing a groan made from a mix of dread and pleasure. "Okay. I, guess it's only fair." He conceded. She squealed, planting a kiss on his cheek before she pulled him into a hug.

"Thank you! You're the best husband ever!"

"Uh huh. Sure I am. How long until two?"

"It's eleven thirty, so two and a half hours." Mia concluded. Daniel faked a smile, watching her race for the bathroom.

 _Two and a half hours until my son has double that time to kill me. Great..._

As much as he loathed the fact that unlike witches and wizards, kanays usually got their powers very young, he had to admit; he wouldn't trade Mia and Trevor for the world. He still wished he would be older when he got them. Jax was so freaking lucky...

He knew Mia was excited for today. She wasn't wrong about the fact that she hadn't been on a real girl's day since Trevor was born. She'd gone out, but whenever she did the baby was always with her. Or she had less than an hour before he'd need something. It wasn't fair to Mia to not get that time, so Daniel decided to bite the bullet and make her happy. Surely he wouldn't die.

"Trevor! Don't go in the kitchen alone! Oh no. No fireballs!"

* * *

"Everything is going to be fine. I have dinner made for him in the fridge, cartoons recorded for when live ones go off, and plenty of tapes of my lullabies. You have his diaper bag in the nursery, and plenty of clean clothes. The fire extinguisher is in the kitchen... Is that everything?" Mia asked, doing a quick once over of the room. Daniel chuckled.

"Yes. Now, go outside. If Andi honks that horn one more time I'm going to have a freaking heart attack."

"Okay. The guys will be here in five. I love you guys." She leaned up to give Daniel a kiss, and then Trevor raced in the room as fast as his waddling little legs would carry him. Aww, babies.

"Momma, go?" He frowned, tilting his head. Mia smiled at his reaction, and picked him up when he tugged her jeans.

"Only for a couple of hours, honey. Mommy is going to have some girl fun, and you and daddy are going to bond a little." She encouraged. Trevor teared up.

"Mommy, no fun with me and Dada?" He asked. Mia quickly shook her head.

"No no no, baby. Mommy has _lots_ of fun with you and daddy. But sometimes, Mommies have to go on little trips so babies can bond with their daddies. Okay? And, Mommy will even bring you home a present, how's that sound?"

His little face lit up, and he started clapping his hands like wild. "Present, present!"

Mia and Daniel let out a laugh. "Okay then, big boy. Now, you go play. Mommy will be back before bed time."

"OK mama. Pway time!" He scampered off. Mia chuckled again.

"That could've been a disaster. Love you." She gave him one last kiss, and then left. Daniel stared at the door and sighed. Within moments, he heard a wind storm.

"Trevor! You're not supposed to play wind storm when your mom is gone! Don't break that!"

This was going to be a long five hours...

* * *

"Remind me why Daniel can't babysit his own kid, again?" Jax asked Diego and the two of them and Phillip knocked on the door. The kanay sighed.

"Kanays usually get their powers really young Jax, which makes them hard to care for. Madds and I have a time as it is. Now take that, and add being human to the mix."

"Still sounds like a matter of parenting issues to me." He snorted.

Daniel opened the door, soaked with purple liquid. Every guy's jaw dropped, and Jax began trying his hardest to stifle his laughter. This was gold!

"Help. Me." Daniel wheezed before face planting on the porch. The guys still stared at him for a moment, until a head of light brown hair and a mischievous grin appeared being Daniel.

"Oh no." Diego shuddered. Trevor suddenly raced for the bathroom, while Phillip was helping a very scared Daniel up.

"What the- I don't want to know." Jax raised his hands, and they all entered the house, Daniel still shaking in horror.

"Jam. And a windstorm. With water. I don't know where from." He shuddered, and spit out water. It occurred to everyone else in that moment, the only water source Trevor could touch was the toilet.

"Let's catch him." Phillip and Jax nodded, racing for the open door to the bathroom. A still shocked, scared as hell Daniel, grabbed a towel.

This was five minutes. How would he last five hours?

In the bathroom, Phillip and Jax found the child somehow by God's grace, doing nothing wrong. He was just staring at the toilet, blankly. The best friends looked at one another and slowed their paces, trying not to trigger Trevor's unpredictable baby mind.

"Fishy!" He dove his hands into the bowl, and like a gymnast, did a weird ass acrobatic handstand.

This kid wasn't even two! How the hell?

"No, no, no. No fishy! Jax, help me get him out."

Somehow, Trevor lodged his hands in some sort of hole, so tugging on him didn't work. The guys had to physically maneuver his hands around until they were visible, then pull him out. By the time Phillip set Trevor down, Jax had to put down the seat and sit, instead of looking for something heavy.

"He. Is. A. Baby. How does he do this?"

"Hell if I know!" Phillip shouted, chasing the toddler that somehow managed to escape his arms and take off running. The wizard groaned.

"This is going to be a long day. Why did I let Em talk me into this?"

* * *

A few hours of staring directly at Trevor, who was in a three foot high play pen, thanks to magic, and watching cartoons, passed. Everything seemed calm and quiet. That was a blessing.

So, by default, it had to end.

"I think I'm going to go grab a blanket for the little guy. He looks sleepy." Daniel smiled. Finally!

"Okay. I'll go with you. We've been sitting here for six episodes of Oso Special and my legs are asleep." Diego yawned, and stood up with Daniel. He had been up all night himself, because Everly had the flu and kept sneezing elements.

"Watch him like a hawk." Daniel ordered, the most serious Jax had ever seen him. It took all the wizard has to suppress his laughter. He and Phillip nodded.

A few moments later, Jax glanced at the kitchen. "Hey, Phillip. I'm going to go get us a snack. Watch the kid, okay?"

His best friend didn't hear a word he said, being a cartoon loving man child, but nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Sure, whatever, bro."

A minute passed, and the urge to use the bathroom got really, noticeably strong in Phillip. He glanced around and frowned, not really sure where everybody went.

 _Eh, well. He's in a three foot high play pen. What's the harm in walking away for just a second?_ He reasoned, and stood, heading for the room like an idiot.

Minutes later, the bathroom door creaked open and Trevor toddled in, while Philip was washing his hands. He smiled at the baby. "Hey, buddy. How'd you get in here? I thought you were-" He cut himself off, realizing where he was supposed to be and why.

"Oh shit." He mumbled, as the water from the sink and the toilet started to float. "Shit!"

Trevor smiled from ear to ear, clearly no longer tired, and dropped it all on his head before letting out a shriek and racing off. "Hey! Get back here, you little thing!"

Daniel, Diego, and Jax came racing in. "What the hell happened here?" The kanay wondered aloud. Phillip spit out some of the water.

"The kid."

Daniel looked at Jax and then Phillip with a glare sharp as a dagger. "I thought I told you to watch him!" He hissed.

"We were!" Jax put his hands up in defense. "I left for two seconds to get a snack, and then this one decided to go to the bathroom and leave Trevor unattended."

"You should know by now not to trust Phillip to do anything right! He can't!"

"Hey. I find that very offensive!" He spoke up. Daniel groaned.

"Fuck it. Whatever, let's just find my kid and... Oh no. Smoke!" He panicked, as did everyone else. They raced off to the kitchen, where the cabinets were now burning.

"God damn it! Diego!"

Genuinely scared of Daniel for the first time in his life, Diego shot water at the fire, extinguishing it before it could do any damage. Daniel quickly dove for his son, but Trevor dodged him, and went straight for the guest room, which he closed with a windstorm.

"Oh, hell. No, no, no. Dear God above, give me strength."

It turned out, he needed it. Because by the time he and the guys managed to lodge the door open, Trevor was completely naked, despite his onesie zipping in the back, and his diaper being taped on because he liked to remove it.

But that, wasn't even remotely the bad part. No, the coup de grace was the string of massive letters that read "Fuk U" on the wall, written in his own child's shit.*

It was confirmed. His kid hated him.

"Where the hell did he even learn that phrase?" Phillip laughed.

Jax shook his head, trying not to laugh, because Daniel was currently looking at Phillip like he would kill him. His chicken arms wouldn't allow it, of course, but he wanted to. "I have no idea. Just be glad he can't spell it right."

"Can I have a towel, now?" Phillip took off his jacket. "I'm cold and wet."

Jax sighed, and dried his buddy off, magically. "Thank you, Jax!"

Daniel and Diego were already heading for Trevor, and Jax went for the bathroom, sure there had to be cleaning supplies in there.

Two and a half hours to go.

Yay...

* * *

A few more hours and a ton of scrubbing later, Trevor was out cold, due to the help of the cough syrup Jax brought, just in case. Daniel didn't even care that his child had been drugged by the point, so long as he would sleep through the night.

The guys collapsed on the couch, completely spent. Trevor had played with water, burned the kitchen, stripped naked and cussed Daniel out in writing (Jax photographed it, to prove to the girls they didn't make it all up) as well as thrown Diego and Daniel across the room.

They were beyond done. Now, they were the ones that needed a day off.

"Danny! We're home." If there was a heaven, his wife's voice was the choir of angels singing. Mia and the girls came through the door, and not one of their husband's was any less than grateful beyond words to see them.

"Oh, thank God!" He shot up out of the recliner, grabbed her face, ignoring the shopping bags she held, and kissed her as hard as he could. Mia smiled once her shock wore off, and kissed him back.

"Well, hello to you, too." She laughed.

"Em!" Jax was also extremely happy, as were Diego and Phillip. The four women looked at one another with suspicion, wondering what the hell made their husbands want to be so loving, suddenly. Yes, normally they were sweet, but they were looking at them like the had just escaped Vietnam or something.

"Hey."

"Let's go home." He grabbed her hand. "I want to go home and see our sweet, loving, innocent, powerless children. Right now."

She cocked an eyebrow, wondering what was up with the description. "Okay. What happened to all of you? You look like we rescued you from a war zone."

"We were." They all said in unison.

Daniel and the rest of the guys continued on to tell them the full story, from the acrobatic handstand (Emma's favorite) to the cussing in poop (Andi's favorite) to the cough syrup trick Maddie made a mental note of.

"Hold on a minute." Mia crossed her arms. "You drugged our child?"

Daniel went ghost white. "Well, uh, Jax gave him the dosage! And to be fair, the kid tried to kill me. It's just cough syrup. He won't die."

Mia laughed, harder than he had seen her laugh before. "I'm not mad! I just wish I knew about the sooner! Do you know how many long nights I've been up with him just because he wasn't tired, yet?"

Relief washed over both Daniel and Jax, because they were both sure they were going to be killed.

"You poor boys." Andi smirked. "The kid must hate all of you. He's an angel for us."

"He is sure as hell not an angel!" Phillip shook his head. "And, by the way, we are never having kids."

She rolled her eyes. "Uh huh. Sure."

Emma and Maddie were just a private mess of giggles. "I have never been more glad our kids will be at least seven before the get their powers." She wrapped her arms around Jax's neck, and gave him a peck on the lips. "I'm sorry you four had to suffer like that."

He chuckled. "All is well that ends well. I'm just glad I remembered that trick from when Jessie got that one flu and nearly killed everyone. Turns out my dad is good for something, after all."

She hugged him again, and Diego headed for Maddie. "Please tell me we can convince your mom to watch Everly and Ryan overnight. If I have to deal with another small child using the elements I will shoot myself."

It may have been inappropriate, but she laughed. "Don't worry. I was going to surprise you. They were already staying over."

"Thank God!"

After a few more minutes of chatting, everyone left in their separate cars, and went home. Mia grinned at Daniel, and gave him a look he knew all too well.

"What?" He asked warily.

"I got a present for you, too. You know, for watching Trevor." She shrugged, and leaned against the table.

He smiled. "Really? Mia, you didn't have to do that."

"Yes, I did." She insisted. "You did something you didn't want to do, for obviously good reasons, so I could be happy. You deserve a present." She hooked her fingers in his belt loops and kissed him.

"Okay, then. Where is it?" He asked. She gave him the look again, stood on her tiptoes, and whispered in his ear.

"I'm wearing it."

* * *

That night, she most definitely made it up to him. Trevor slept until eight in the morning (Daniel would have to thank Jax, later) and when he woke, he was once again am agreeable child, in the presence of his mother.

But Daniel still never wanted to babysit, again.

* * *

 **This was meant to be funny, and adorable! I just loved writing Trevor. It was so much fun! Poor guys. I feel like I should apologize for making them suffer. :(**

 ***I am not even kidding you. When my brother was a Trevor's age, he used to SOMEHOW, like Houdini, get off all his clothes, including a duck taped, backward diaper, off, and throw poop at my mom. Seriously. I wish I was lying.**

 **Anyway, this is my late Christmas present to you all, since I may not be able to make a story for it! Hopefully I can for New Year's, since I'm busting my butt working this out.**

 **Love you guys! Kisses!**

 **Review?**


	6. Let You Go

_**Wellness Update: I still feel bad, sadly. Also, I am on Spring friggin Bresk, so that sucks and the universe despises me, absolutely. However, lucky for me, a writer's work is never done and I have plenty to work on.**_

 **Hey. So, I have decided that in order to both increase my average wordcount per story, and decrease the amount of clutter found on my profile, I am slowly going to start moving all of my one-shots (except for the extremely special ones [ex: Fade because it can be triggering, Heartbeat, my first one shot]) to the collection.**

 **I promise, not much will change. You'll just be able to follow one single story and have access to many, in return. From this point forward all new one shots (unless they are triggering, or special edition) will be found here!**

 **Warning: This story is pretty sad, though not truly angsty. You may end up crying over the sadness, but you may not. Neither makes you better than the other.**

 **Disclaimer: Every Witch Way is absolutely, a hundred thousand percent, not remotely mine. This is all fun and games. Just enjoy the fanfiction.**

Jax,

It's been a while. Like, a year. A very, very long, horrible year, for me at least. Don't know about you, but hopefully yours is better...

I know you most likely don't want to read this, especially not after everything that went down with us. But we still have some unresolved issues and I'm in the mood to fix them, so what that hell.

Last time we talked, we acted like idiot high schoolers that weren't willing to deal with the fact that we wouldn't see each other again for a long time. We said things we didn't mean, because we were kids, and kids are idiots. Actuallu, we still are kids. And knowing us, even with the four musketeers broken up we are both still going to keep our promise to tell adulthood to fuck itself as long as we can.

But, I know that there are definitely some thing you deserve to know. I don't hate you. I never did. You were a tornado that spun into my life, ripped it all to hell, and made me love you. Don't know how you managed it, but when I wasn't looking you took my heart without my permission. Bastard. (I mean that in the most endearing way possible)

And then, you were a day away from leaving me to go to the other side of the world. I was headed for Puerto Rico, you were going back home to Sydney. I loved you move than I ever thought you could love someone and you were about to leave me. It hurt.

So, when we fought, I told you that I hated you. I told you that I wished I never met you. Because if I never met you, I wouldn't love you and it wouldn't hurt like hell. I hated our lives, and that all those teachers who told us we would never last were right, and I wanted to stop time and scream and, well, you get the idea.

I spent three months trying to convince myself that I meant it before I gave in. The things that you and I did to each other, out of fear and anger, were horrible. I wish I could take back that fight. God, I do.

Life tore us apart, and I sulked for a while. But someone new walked into my life. Patrick pulled me out of whatever stage of grief I was in and showed me that college is supposed to be about enjoying life. These past six months, all he's done is make me happy. I'm lucky to be with someone like him, who's willing to stay with me even after all the time that I've woken up from a dream saying your name. Honestly, I don't deserve him.

I hope you're happy. I hope some other girl, fiery and stubborn and all the things that you are, walked into your life to be what I never was. We were always just a little too different for our story to really work. I guess a fore that burns so bright just isn't meant to last.

I quoted Veronica Roth. So freaking what? She's a smart lady.

Our first reunion for high school is coming up in a month. I don't know if you'll be there or not. I hope you will, kind of. I'm not sure if I plan to say something or to hide all night, but I miss you just enough to want to see you again.

I must be the worst girlfriend on the planet. Here I am, on my laptop at one in the morning, my boyfriend sleeping like a rock, writing a letter to someone I haven't even had the balls to call in a year. It's bad enough that I miss you, much as I hate it. This must make me terrible.

Why is life such a bitch? Really, why? All I wanted was you. I wanted to do all the things we planned, keep the promises we made, and never know what heartbreak felt like, again. Part of me knew when we climbed out of that pool that you meant more to me than Daniel ever did, and if I lost you hell would freeze over and the Earth would burn.

Maybe that's a little dramatic, but that's pretty much how it felt for me.

I suppose, maybe I am only doing this for closure. Maybe our goodbye wasn't good enough. Actually, there's no way it was good enough. But, if we never get to stand on top of the Eiffel Tower on New Year's Eve, at least I know I got to tell you I wish you all the happiness in the world. And at least one little rugrat to make you wonder why the _hell_ you ever decided to have kids!

This is long overdue. This is the goodbye where I start sobbing uncontrollably and beg both myself and the universe not to do it, even though I know at the bottom of my heart that it has to happen for either of us to grow.

I guess we've reached the end of our story. This is where I let you go.

Thank you for the time of my life. Thank you for all the wonderful stories to tell. And thank you, for teaching me to watch out for the bad boy's that are going to smile at my daughter one day, and take all rational decision making abilities from her, as well as her heart.

Thanks for making me realize, I didn't have a damned clue what love was like until I walked into my dad's office and you dropped the pen you'd been levitating.

I hope I'll see you at the reunion.

Goodbye, my Grade A Jerk.

Love always,

Em.


	7. Someday

**I'm screwed.**

 **I got over my crush. I made a new guy friend.**

 **I proceeded to fall deeper in love with guy friend than I've been since Andrew. Because, life! Im bestie-zoned!**

 **Also, two months ago I had a stalker issue. I'm okay. But it was weird and terrifying.**

 **This is my way of making up for leaving! And reminding all us forever-alonies that we have time.**

 **Disclaimer: Every Witch Way is not mine.**

* * *

When you fall in love, you know.

It's obvious, in the thundering of your heartbeat as it slams against your chest, in the shakiness of your voice, the dampness of your palms, and the stupidity of the words you say. The crush part of love you can't control. You say and do preposterous things and you kick yourself for them, later.

The other part, though, is the mental connection. It's making your loved one chicken soup when they're sick, asking if they've eaten today, and hounding them about wearing a seatbelt. A part of love is saying it in a thousand different ways.

Someday, everyone falls in love. Jessie hated that.

She hated it because her brother was so happy. Everyone was happy with their lives. She hated the fact that everyone was falling in love, if they hadn't been there for years. *cough* Jemma *cough* Jessie was fifteen, and she still had never had a boyfriend because Ethan was blinder than a bat without hearing.

It was obvious to everyone, including Jax, that she liked her best friend. But, he didn't seem to get it.

Her brother had a baby on the way. A freaking _baby_. And here, Jessie could barely get her best friend to stop being lovey dovey with his girlfriend long enough for her to spend time with him.

Part of her knew she was complaining about something weird. When it came down to it, she could have a boyfriend if she wanted one. Countless guys, even seniors, had approached her during her six months at Iridium High. However, none of them were five-foot eleven of sparkling, boyish eyes, a heart warming smile, and four years of memories with her best friend.

The day some boy could be _that_ , was the day Agamemnon approved of Jemma. Jessie would marry this boy that knew how to replace Ethan with literally not even a second of memories.

That wouldn't ever happen. The formative years she'd spent liking him made it part of her, now. Even though she had two months on him, and he was a bit dumb, Ethan Prescott had made her fall for him with his charm and obsession with Captain El Capitan.

He chose Riley, though. The blonde, blue-eyed, five foot seven princess. Or, as she and Emily, who had become her best girl friend over the years called her, Queen Bitch of Iridium High: Van-Pelt 2.0.

It was a dig at Maddie, not Phillip. Jessie quite liked Phillip.

Riley Samantha Jameson got everything she wanted. Perfect grades, perfect hair, perfect friends, clothes, and more. You named it, this girl had the best version of it.

Jessie just hated that the girl who made middle school a nightmare for her was now probably screwing her best friend.

* * *

"Jess, relax. Ethan is an idiot, anyway. Don't be so pissed that he hasn't sent you his usual Valentine's Day flowers. Queen Biotch probably threatened not to give him anything if he did." Emily consoled. Jessie sighed, playing with her phone on her bed.

"I know. It just bugs me. My brother is married and about to have a kid, and here I am having never held anyone's hand other than your brother's. I want to have a guy appreciate me."

Emily nodded. "He does, Jess. E just needs to realize that the girl he always says he wants is right in front of his stupid face and it's actually just you he's describing."

Jessie gave a grateful smile and the two ceased talking. However, unbeknownst to them, Jax had been bringing them snacks, but stopped at the closed door upon overhearing.

"Em, babe. Can you come up here? My sister is being a teenage girl."

Emma laughed and dragged herself off the couch with an eye roll. Six months pregnant, and still handling his sister for him. Dear lord, her husband needed to either grow up and do this himself, or back up and let Jessie learn.

"Dr. Emma to the rescue. What's wrong, now?" She took the cookie tray.

"From what I heard, Ethan is a dick and Jessie is underappreciated."

"So... all freshman?" She asked. Jax laughed far harder than he had to.

"Yep. But it's Valentine's Day and she's mopey, so... can you make her not?"

Emma rolled her eyes and hip checked her husband, opening the door. There layed Jessie, with her shirt riding up and her arms holding her phone high above her head. The blonde she now called her best friend was in her spinning chair, facing Jessie, despite the fact that the witch was now quite occupied with glaring at Riley's Instagram photos with Ethan, the previous week.

If _she_ let a guy put his hands within a _foot_ of where Riley had Ethan's, her brother wouldn't let her out of the house until his _grandkids_ had grandkids.

"Knock knock. Guess whose favorite sister-in-law brought cookies?"

"Are you not her only sister-in-law?" Emily frowned. Jax bit his tongue for a moment. He wasn't a fan of Emily. Emma just laughed.

"That we know of. Lord knows how many more siblings these two have." Everyone laughed at that. Over the years, Jax and Jessie made light of their lost time and the lies they'd both been told. They made a pact a long time ago that they could only trust each other (with the exception of Emma) and they had one another's backs. That's why he always sent Em to the rescue when his best solution for Ethan was to pummel the kid.

Jessie slowly sat up, licking her lips at the smell of the cookies Jax made her. As much as she teased him for being whipped, she'd be lying if she didn't love that Jax made her cookies and cake, sometimes.

If anyone asked, though, Emma always made them. That was the deal.

"Food. Yay. You'll never leave me for a slut." She pouted. Emma gave her an apprehending look, to remind her that she was _not_ a fan of that word.

"Don't glare at me. I'm having a bad day." She took the tray and fell onto bed, practically swallowing a diabetes-cylinder* whole.

Emma sighed. Emily sighed. Then, so did Jax. "What?"

"You're fifteen. It's Valentine's Day. You should not be moping over some boy that likes another girl. What the hell would dad say if he saw this?" Jax crossed his arms and looked his sister dead in her cookie-stuffed face. She hadn't even bothered to leave her pajamas, since school was canceled. Her hair was a mess, and she looked tired.

"Let me die in peace, woman!"

"Jax." Emma looked at him. "Go away. It's girl time."

He clenched his jaw slightly, examining the pain on Jessie's face. Jax gave in with a sigh, and walked out the door.

"He has a point." Emma sat down. "You're young. You should be happy. You can't let Ethan ruin that."

"Ethan didn't ruin in. Samantha the Snake did." Jessie mumbled. Emma pulled her into a side hug.

"Look, I understand."

"Yeah, right."

"I do." Emma looked at the young girl. "Senior year, when your brother and I were on that break. I had to watch him with another girl, per the Council's orders. Which made it worse, because he was both unhappy and helpless to stop it... Don't tell him I called him helpless. His ego bruises easy."

Jessie and Emily tossed back their heads in laughter. Emma gestured for Emily to sit on the other side of her.

"Girls, I'm going to share with you a very valuable life lesson. One I had to learn the hard way."

"What is it?" Emily asked. Jessie made a noise to show she was also curious, having stuffed herself with more cookies.

"Love takes time. Even high school- late high school- is very early to fall in the kind of love that is going to last. Jax and I got very, very lucky. But someday, if you're patient, it's going to happen."

"But, not with him?" Jessie frowned. Emma rubbed her arm.

"Maybe it will, maybe it won't. But take your time, live your life! You're young. And if it's meant to be, it'll happen eventually. Just let him go, romance wise. Riley won't be around long. No one that hates your best friend sticks long."

"Don't Andi and Jax hate each other?" The girls asked in unison. Emma laughed.

"They have a love-hate relationship. When it comes down to it, they're family. And family can relentlessly tease each other, but they always care. Always."

"Ohh... Ethan and I are doing it wrong. When we fight it gets ugly..." Emily averted her eyes. Jesssie busted out laughing.

"Yeah! Like when he made you a pickle! You smelled like vinegar for weeks!"

"We weren't ever supposed to speak of that!"

Soon the girls were yelling, and Emma quietly excused herself from the room. Jax was laughing his ass off downstairs, making her eyes roll.

"I guess the screams of war mean you fixed it?"

"Yep. Your sister is much happier, now. At least for a while." Emma slung her arms around his neck, standing awkwardly to accommodate her stomach between them. He chuckled and kissed her quickly.

"You're a miracle worker."

"Mhm. Lets hope you're still saying that when her next crush comes along. He probably won't be as concerned with her feelings as Ethan."

"You ruin everything."

* * *

 **There you are! A cute little make-up one shot for me leaving. Sorry about that. Least I can make a nice reminded for all us youngsters that we're young. We have plenty of time to evaluate how many cats we need. :)**

 ***That term comes from one of my friends. For Christmas I brought her "Diabetes In A Bag" for one of her gifts. It was a bag of cookies.**


	8. Some Promises Need To Be Broken

**Helloooo internet. I am back faster than I was last time, trying to work. I am very lonely amd want bologna (Hotel Transylvania 3, anyone?) so instead of eating processed meats I'm working at my unpaid job like I should've been going since January.**

 **Also, news: my best guy friend is single, again. Free from the toxic girl that was depressing him. And also, you know. Lowkey making me happy (and guilty) that I can be me with him without fear of watching what I do, ever.**

 **Warning: This slightly brushes the line where T stops and M would start. So, it's almost teetering over the edge of its rating. I'm testing my boundaries to see what I'm okay with crossing in the future.**

 **Disclaimer: Every Witch Way is not mine. Nor are the characters or anything else. I'm just about to be a freshman and have no life.**

* * *

2:34 AM

It was Saturday morning and he should have been sleeping. He should've. Instead, Jax was trying his hardest to keep his mind off of Emma. And boy, he was failing like it was a calculus test.

Emma, who had left his bed not an hour prior. Emma, who'd rolled onto her side after they finished their trip to oblivion and refused to acknowledge that she was still up even though they both knew it. Emma, who for the first time _ever,_ hadn't searched for his touch and tried her hardest to fall asleep with her head on his chest.

This was new. It almost didn't make sense, aside from their current predicament. The one that the council stated had to forbid them from continuing their involvement as they had been, for the sake of their safety. Something they wouldn't disclose, and Jax wasn't even sure existed, would put them in danger and required convincing that they couldn't be used as bait or leverage to get to the other.

They agreed to it. No more relationship.

But, they almost immediately disregarded that choice upon leaving. Logically, physical involvement required no attachment and therefore they were still allowed to be together in that manner, which they'd both gladly take. Any involvement with each other was something they'd take.

The problem? He, the guy who sadly couldn't remember the names of more than about three of the girls he'd slept with prior to Emma, which was a very low amount compared to how many he remembered there being, was the one that was struggling. She was fine, at least seemingly. No reaching out for him, no talking to him, not even the three words he was so used to hearing from her in this room had left her. It was perfect no-strings conduct.

That scared him. His Em wasn't supposed to be capable of that. When they'd talked upon their arrival he didn't expect their obedience of the council to last on _any_ level. By now they were supposed to have screwed their promise and either fallen asleep in each other's arms or... something else.

Now it was two in the goddamn morning and she was in a council meeting, hopefully being told what exactly was so dangerous that their relationship put their safety at risk. His mother wasn't that bad, nor was anything else they'd ever faced. Whatever this was, if the council meant what they said they were screwed.

Because despite it all, he knew even if they tried, they couldn't fall out of love. She turned away from him, yes. But that was a way of trying not to hurt herself more; Emma always pushed anything that could hurt her away.

Just, he was never the danger zone. It hurt to know he was, now. Even more, because he knew she was worried for him more than her.

How? They thought the same way regarding each other. And damn, he was worried for her.

Yet, he hadn't even attempted to test her resolve. Hadn't said a word, or tried to cuddle her. Not even said "goodbye".

 _Please, world, don't be a cruel bastard and do something to make me regret that._ Jax thought with a sigh. He should've tried to go to sleep, at least. However, he was wide awake and didn't want to change that until he knew the meeting was over. Until he _knew_ she wouldn't come back to his apartment.

He wondered if she was as messed up as he was. Emma may have learned how to hide how she felt as a part of her training, but until now he saw right through it.

Until now, she had no reason to want anything less than for him to see through it. Honesty and openness were important parts of their relationship, especially to her. She needed communication, and over the past twenty-one months, he'd learned to need it, too.

Yet here he was, only really able to _hope_ she was trying to do it right, and she didn't want to. He kicked himself for even putting the distant _thought_ in her mind that they were capable of... whatever the hell you'd call this. Friends with benefits? Some sort of fucked up open relationship? He didn't know, and he didn't want to know. All he wanted was to go back to calling her his girlfriend.

Wow. He chuckled at the realization. It'd been six hours, and he already couldn't stand the very idea of having less claim to her than he was used to. Of _technically_ not being allowed to terrify any guy who even considered flirting with her. She wasn't really his, anymore. In his bed, maybe. But outside of those doors they were free to do as they pleased and the other had no right to get mad about it.

Three years ago, this was heaven. He got to have a gorgeous girl whenever he wanted, and could still go on being his flirty, rebellious self. But that Jax was long gone. She'd... tamed him, for lack of better wording. The only woman in the world he wanted to even think of bedding was her.

A laugh left him as he realized all over again what he'd never really admitted. He was whipped. Sure, he knew he loved her and he wasn't scared to say it. Yes, he knew he'd changed. But it never occurred to him that he'd go to hell and back for her. That the thought of even his dream woman paled in comparison to her.

That the thought of other guys touching her, ever having even the _chance_ to make her feel the way he could, scream the way he could, made him furious and nauseous all at once.

Yep. Whipped.

He carefully eyed his phone. The stubbornness he prided himself on was fading, overcome by the need to have her back in his arms. In the place that she acknowledged as home, even more than her own apartment.

She had a key. She could use it anytime and she knew it.

He prayed she would.

* * *

Boring.

If Emma had to choose one word to describe this 'urgent' meeting, it'd be that. If anything, it was more boring than the day meetings. The council hadn't said anything important. Her questions about this 'mysterious danger' had been ignored in favor of discussing basic office security and a squabble on the edge of the light realm where it met the dark.

A squabble so small it was _long_ over, and no one was harmed. Because it was between children.

Literally, the oldest boy was ten. Why was this relevant at _2:34_ AM?

Her head rested against her palm, not even caring that her boredom was obvious. She eyed her phone, remembering all the meetings where she'd picked it up and "took notes" to get over her boredom. Really, she was texting Jax about how annoyingly unnecessary this was and he was promising to make her day better once she got home.

Or, he had gone with her and been distracting her under the table while she hoped nobody would ask her a question or notice her red face.

The thought of him hurt her heart a bit. Normally, she would ignore any call at this obscene hour of the day, in favor of either sleeping or staying with him. But in light of their new _arrangement,_ she did no such thing. Her mind made her believe it'd be better to come here, as an excuse to remove her from the environment that made her ache with longing for him, despite her stubborn facade of sleep.

It was very wrong. She'd much prefer to be there, giving into their desires to screw the dangers and just exist for a while. Be happy. The _last_ thing she should've been doing right now was working.

But, part of her knew she'd still be facing the wall instead of him, pretending to sleep. Emma knew Jax had done things like this before: _far_ more than she dared to consider. That was why he didn't speak up when she ignored him. He was on a higher level of capability than she was. So, to level the field she thought really hard about exactly why she was never going to display anything other than sexual attraction toward him again, and decided it was time to sleep, facing the wall and ignoring his yet-to-even breaths while she knew he watched her.

She was still up when she got the call, unsurprisingly.

This shouldn't have been so hard. Yeah, it was new. But all it was was giving up all the mushy romance. It wasn't like going cold turkey. She could still _have_ him.

 _So can other girls._ Her mind betrayed her by forcing one of the big reasons she regretted their decision to the surface. Emma'd be lying if she said it didn't bother her to know there were others before her. More than a few, though she and Jax silenty agreed to not ever discuss the number she wasn't sure he even _knew_ the exact value of. Once she almost did, but stopped at the thought that she wanted to maintain her ignorance, especially with the chance of it being a double digit number.

Possessive. He was, she was. It was almost unhealthy. They wanted each other happy. The problem was, they knew no one could do it like the other. So, they got jealous at the thought of someone replacing them, meaning more. They didn't like it at all.

It didn't even make sense to her.

The thoughts of her current situation enveloped Emma so much that upon Desdemona asking her about whether she'd want security detail, she was a far cry from remotely aware that she was being spoken to. The council looked at each other, noting that though the Chosen One was awake, her eyes were glossed over and she was chewing her thumbnail in thought.

 _She's thinking about Jax._ Lily thought. She knew Emma better than the other two members of the Witches Council; this was what happened when the teenager was faced with a dilemma about her bo- _ex_ , she now supposed, boyfriend.

It took all she had to ignore the fresh pink spot on the usual place on Emma's neck. Tomorrow morning she'd "burn herself with her curling iron" and the council wouldn't think twice. They were too old to remember their excuses at her age, if they'd even engaged in similar activities.

"Emma!" Lily clapped her hands. The girl snapped out of her trance and cleared her throat.

"Sorry. Yes?"

"Were you sleeping with your eyes opened? I've always wanted to be capable of such a thing." Aggie asked her with a slight look of wonder. Emma smiled a bit, making a note to joke with Jax about that later.

"Umm... Sort of."

"Oh, what was happening is irrelevant!" Desdemona scolded. "Emma, do you-" The Chosen One's yawn cut her off. She'd been trying not to let it out- she was far from tired- but it happened. Damn her boredom.

"Guys," Lily stood up. "Maybe she should go home. We called her out at 1 AM for a meeting that's taken an hour to get to the point. It's hardly good to have her here in this state."

"Perhaps you're correct." Agamemnon examined Emma, who'd been smart enough to let her head rest in her hand once again, and close her eyes. She was taking this out. "She is already half asleep."

"Gods, I _do not_ ever get to say my piece." Desdemona whispered.

"I agree." She didn't. Maria had been in meetings for six times as long having not slept in over a day prior to being called. This generation was pitiful!

"Emma, go home." Lily gently shook her. Emma yawned a little and opened her eyes.

"Hmm? Okay. Goodnight." She stood slowly and grabbed her bag. Lily followed her out to walk her to her car safely.

She knew Emma wasn't actually that tired. But she wasn't present and she needed to sleep on the news she'd been given six hours ago.

"Get some good rest. You'll need it; you're about to have some hard work ahead of you with this new threat." Lily ordered in her Guardian Voice as Emma opened her car door with a nod.

"I will." She smiled tightly and climbed into the car. Though she'd despised that meeting, she didn't want to go home any more than she wanted to endure it. Driving home meant a choice at a very specific intersection: her bed or his. Safety and pain or risk and happiness and passion. Emma didn't want to make the choice.

"Oh, curl your hair in the morning." Lily ordered right when Emma went to close the door. The witxh frowned.

"Huh."

"I was eighteen once: do as the council says my ass." Lily smirked and tapped her own neck where the mark rested on Emma's. When it hit her what her ex-guardian meant, Emma went red and didn't even try to tell her what was going on.

"Yes ma'am. Thanks."

* * *

Seven minutes later she approached the familiar, menacing red light. Emma inhaled deeply. This wasn't her first time making this choice; every night since their graduation two months prior she'd made it. Where would she sleep that night?

This time, it wasn't as easy as whether he was awake, or would care that she changed that.

Her teeth sunk into her lip in consideration just as her gas light popped on. She sighed in relief: god, this was a blessing. A gas station was right on the corner, and she pulled up to the pump.

While she handled her car, her mind drifted to her choice. Going to him meant making up for ignoring him: her conscience had already decided her deserved that. It also meant screwing her promise and potentially even their safety.

Going home, however, meant sleeping alone, in a room that didn't smell like him. Like the scent she identified as home.

 _Let him decide._ She considered. It wasn't a bad idea; though she knew in her heart that he'd never tell her no. It was why her mind suggested it. Emma knew she didn't want to go home. But it was probably the right thing, though not the feel-good thing.

 _Fuck right and wrong._ The thought was in his voice, a memory of when the realm needed them to take a risk and break into the lab that revealed what some of the people on the dark end were going to do as an attack.

That saved lives, and it went against the rules. That was the right thing, despite her not knowing until she had done it.

 _You still up?_

She sent it before she lost her nerve.

In his apartment, Jax's heart skipped at the text tone. Without a second thought he immediately grabbed his phone and grinned when he saw her text; those words meant more than they said. They always did.

 **Yeah.**

She sighed in relief when she realized he would still answer her. She hadn't hurt him badly.

 _Door unlocked?_

She knew it wasn't, because she locked it herself. It was another question entirely, and they both knew it.

He laughed. She really had struggled. And he had a feeling she wanted to make it up to him, as unnecessary as it was.

 **You have a key for a reason, Em.**

Her grin was the size of Jupiter, a tingle shooting down her spine and spreading through her body. Time to leave.

 _On my way._

She put down her phone and started her car with a happy sigh.

All they needed was each other. That was all they wanted, either.

As she pulled out she made herself a promise to never hurt the both of them like this ever again. Whatever the realm brought on they'd face hand in hand, damn the consequences. The council could deal with the news in the morning. All she wanted was him.

Some promises need to be broken.

* * *

 **Whew! I'd lowkey kill to be Emma right now. Not getting your way with love sucks. Especially missing people. This was very much from my heart.**

 **Also, funny story. Don't You Wanna Stay by Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson randomly came on the radio while I was writing and I laughed my ass off. Great timing, radio. That song fits really well with this story.**

 **Review?**


	9. Chronicles Of Cruz

**I've always imagined Andi to be the type that couldn't keep up with a diary if she depended on it. (Like me.) Honestly, if it weren't for that she seems like the type to try it just to prove a point, I'd dare say she wouldn't even have one. Doesn't seem her style.**

 **This is some good old humor with some fluff in the end. It's short af, but I really like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Every Witch Way.**

* * *

Hey... So, you are my journal, I suppose. This is weird. I've never had a journal before...

Anyway, literally the only reason why I'm doing this is because Lily insisted that guardianing, or whatever the term is, Emma would need structure. It will supposedly help me and her both if I record experiences. Well, I guess I also wanted to prove Em wrong when she told Lily I'd never do it. Emma says she's just glad I'm going to be doing it, so at sleepovers she can add something girly... Ick. No, thanks.

These entries will be called the "Chronicles of Cruz" because it sounds cool and I need a way to make this suck less. So, Chronicle One... Begin?

It is August third. Summer lasts another three weeks, and then it's back to Iridium High for our final year of highschool. The suffering will **finally** end in May.

Unfortunately, I'll still probably be stuck watching Jax and Emma make out shamelessly for years to come. Three cheers for thirdwheeling! (Yes, that was sarcasm)

Speaking of thirdwheeling, I am now officially the only single person left in out gang. Sophie met a guy named Ned, who's just as odd as she is. Katie met some nerd guy online, and surprisingly wasn't a 50 year old pedo. Daniel and Mia finally sorted out their issues and are happy together. Gigi and Sebastian finally stopped kidding themselves and are now a journaling couple, whatever the crap that even means. Diego and Maddie are still in love. It's gross.

And Jemma are... Married, pretty much. That best sums up their behavior. I bet they lied about their age, ran off to Vegas, and got married. Because if not, it's genuinely worse than if they had...

I'll just say I don't trust half the furniture in Emma's house, anymore. Her poor dad is so oblivious.

Luke picked a bad time to dump me. Right after he did, I became Em's guardian. And his mom sent him to some camp to "find a good wife that would still love a failure." Emma and I laughed about that one for hours. It's hilarious.

Honestly, as bad as it is, I really don't care that he left me. I didn't care for a moment. It hurt to lose Phillip, but Preppy was kind of like, "K, whatever" and tacos. The tacos were _during_ the breaking up, too.

Maybe I'm heartless. There are only two boys on this Earth that I've ever liked. I created one of them. Nobody ever likes me. They're all so taken with Emma.

Emma has feelings. Emma doesn't need to build a boyfriend. Emma never gets left. Emma is what everyone strives for.

But... glitter. I'll let Emma be Emma. If I need glitter to not die alone, I'll go buy my cats now. Or a bibigun so I can at least shoot some of the asshole teenage boys I deal with in their literal assholes.

I'd _so_ love to see that!

This is exactly why I'm single.

* * *

 **August 9th: Chronicle 2**

I'm not the best at keeping up with this thing. So, let me catch you up a bit, I guess. We had a party at the Beachside 7. Jax and Emma got into a fight over something so stupid before Emma could find me they'd already made up. These two, I swear...

Em has something in store for me, I think. Whatever it is, I really don't want to know. I'm frustratingly done with life. Luke called me last night to beg me to take him back. I told him to shove his apology up his ass because I know I deserve better. He called me a whore.

I laughed and hung up. Then, I sent him a meme of someone with both middle fingers up, captioned 'Go fuck yourself, asshole. Nobody else will'

I definitely got the last word. His mom texted me to ask why her son called her in tears.

That's all I have to say. All I've done today is swim and watch Netflix while I ate a lot of food.

* * *

While Phillip was helping his girlfriend pack for college, almost a year later, he came across a leather book the size of your average journal. He frowned: Andi wasn't a diary person.

"Babe, what's this?" He crawled out from under her bed to hold it up, thinking maybe it was a hand-written spellbook for when Hex was at Em's. His step sister had one.

"Oh." She laughed in remembrance, taking it from him. "That was the time Lily and Em tried to get me to write a journal. I think I wrote in it, like, once." She took off the band that held it shut and turned to page one.

"Haha. Yep. Still don't trust that furniture." Phillip laughed at her words, reading the entry over her shoulder.

"Luke was an ass; he deserved that."

"That wasn't the end of it." She let him read the next page, and he bust out laughing.

"Holy fuck! You've sent Jax that meme in group chat so often Emma doesn't even react anymore."

"Because she's testament to the fact that it isn't true for him."

"He cried?"

"Mhm."

"Damn." He kissed her. "That's my girl."

She dropped the diary in favor of wrapping her arms around him and kissing him again.

What a surprise: the Chronicles Of Cruz failed worse than even she predicted.

This is why you don't try to get Andi to do something she finds girly. It wasn't, but the most stubborn woman on Earth made up her mind and she wasn't going to change it.

Now, her decision was to take some time to appreciate that surprise Emma had for her, way back in August. The one she was eternally grateful for.

If she could go back and laugh at herself for not wanting to know, she would.

* * *

 **Aww. There's something about fluff that makes me feel so nice. But, though I don't usually dedicate too much time to them, I'll always have a special place in my heart for Phandi fluff. It's so... special, I guess.**

 **Kay. Bye.**


	10. Dawniel Goes To Jail

**Don't ask me what this is or why ir exists because I do not have a damn clue.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Every Witch Way. This story borders on being rated M, so be warned. And this is in no way intended to be offensive to anyone. It's purely good ole fashioned Dawniel humor.**

* * *

"This is so not fair!" Miller whined as he was dragged into the holding cell block of Miami PD. He had just been arrested for being found doing something that was harmless, though a little brave. Instead of his rountine stalking regime he had _gently_ pried open his ex-girlfriend's bedroom window and removed the clothing of his lower half, shaking things and twerking above her sleeping form as he sung 'The Clap'.

He didn't get why Mr. Alonso called the cops. She didn't wake up!

"Shut the fuck up you scumbag." The cop growled. Daniel frowned; that wasn't nice. He hadn't harmed her. He didn't _actually_ plan to give Emma the clap! He didn't have it.

The guard shoved Daniel into the cell and slid it shut, locking it into place and leaving him there. Naturally, the beanstalk began to cry, not noticing the roomate he had.

"Damn. What're you in here for, hun?" The slightly feminine voice called from the beds. Startled, he turned to see a guy with purple hair, red parachute pants, a striped shirt and suspenders on. He looked like a clown.

"I-I got caught stalking." He didn't feel ashamed. Just, highly attracted to this fashionable man. His cheeks were burning.

"Ah, I see. Andrew, by the way. Same here. My boyfriend turned out to be bi, so when he dumped me I installed cameras in his girlfriend's home. Don't get why that's illegal. Watching them have sex is no different than the tapes we made, together."

"I'm Daniel. And it isn't! Just like me twerking over my ex girlfriend is no different than her dancing with _Jax._ " Danny boy wrinkled his nose at the thought of the far more attractive man.

"Oh." Andrew's face fell. "You're straight."

"I-I mean. I dunno. I've never... Tried anything. Not even really with girls."

"I can change that."

By the time his mom bailed him out and... Ensured it'd all be swept under the rug, Daniel had three things. The clap, a leaking asshole, and the knowledge of what it was like to have anal sex while someone scream-sang Bad Romance by Lady Gaga.


	11. Pretend I Never Loved You

**So uh, this was actually slightly painful to write. But I was inspired to write Phillip's reaction to Andi and Luke, so I did. It came out the way it came out. What can I say? Writers are weird.**

 **Disclaimer: Every Witch Way isn't mine.**

* * *

Barstools, liquor bottles, drunk people, and the smell of vodka were the standout features of Phillip's Friday nights, now. It was 10:34 at night in Silicon Valley, and the seventeen year old was staring blankly at his whiskey sour, turning the news his adoptive mother had reluctantly given him over in his mind.

Andi had a new boyfriend.

Unless this was a typical human reaction, Phillip must have been pretty pitiful. For three weeks, this was how he spent his Fridays. Hanging around in a bar, pouting that Andi and Luke were dating. Carmen, his sister, he supposed, had gotten the fake I.D. from her boyfriend's weed dealer.

There were so many things wrong with this, but he couldn't find it in his heartbroken self to give a damn. Jax had explained alcohol to him, once. He was the reason the idea had crossed Phillip's mind at all.

 _It's kind of like a medicine, dude. Except it hurts in the morning. But if you have enough of it, everything kind of washes away. It's not good for you. But I'd be lying if I said it didn't make losing Emma a hell of a lot easier. Sometimes, it's the bad choices that keep us alive._

He was certainly right. Whiskey seemed to delete every problem Phillip had.

But shit it hurt in the morning.

"You look a little lost." A bartender gave him a small smile, seeming to have an extreme amount of sympathy for him. She leaned her arms on the counter, examining his face, then his shot, and then his face, again.

"I'm sitting down?" He had already had two shots prior to the one he'd been staring at for the past few minutes; he didn't really understand her meaning.

She was pretty, he noticed. Her eyes were blue like a sapphire, and they held quite a lot of kindness, it seemed. The nametag her wavy bleached blonde hair slightly blocked read _Rosalyn_ , and as hard as he tried not to notice, Phillip realized she seemed to have quite a- uh- _full_ bust. Her full lips were painted red and her eyelashes looked black and full; however, she appeared to be wearing little or no other makeup.

Her laugh sounded...nice. His already warmed chest got even hotter when he heard the sound. "Mentally, you goof. Lemme guess: breakup?"

The words removed him from the minor trance she had put him in, and once again thoughts of Andi plagued his mind. With a sigh, he nodded. "Something along those lines."

It wasn't exactly true. They had broken up six months ago, when he left Miami. But, he certainly hadn't felt single until he realized leaving meant possibly never getting her back.

Leaving meant her being with somebody else.

Without anymore hesitation, he downed the third whiskey sour of the night. Phillip could feel how bad of an idea this all was; he was tipsy, talking to a hot girl, and in a phase Jax reffered to as a rebound when they had spoken, last week.

 _Look, man, take some advice from the guy that knows all about this shit; don't start hanging around other chicks until you're over her. I don't care if it's the hottest woman on the planet- well, I do because you shouldn't be hitting on Emma- you need to wait. Going out and dating someone new, or having a random one night stand is only going to make it worse. Rebounds are self destructive, mate. You're better off alone._

As much as he trusted and believed Jax, that rebound was looking really good right about now.

"Damn, that sucks. Take it she meant a lot to you; I've seen you in here every Friday for the past three weeks. You weren't around, before."

"I didn't drink."

"Judging by how wasted you've left this place recently, I'm gonna say that's changed." Her smile was welcoming instead of judgemental. Most of the bartenders had been giving him judgy looks. But this one was clearly very young, probably couldn't even drink, herself. Younger people understood recklessness. It was part of growing up.

"How old are you?"

"Nineteen." He was right.

"Cool. I'm Phillip, by the way." He tried something he didn't ever do, because he thought it would make him look stupid. Phillip smirked.

"You can call me Rosie." Her tone dropped an octave and her smile turned seductive. A single curl started twirling around her finger.

Oh, yeah. She was hitting on him.

Phillip didn't have experience with this. He never had to woo Andi, seeing as she had created him. No other women had ever appeared to be into him, and even if they had, part of him was still holding out hope that he would get back with Andi.

Everything he knew he learned from Jax's efforts to win Emma over, as well as the occasional harmless flirting he had done as way to show off to Phillip.

Most of the memories were faded, because they were from when he was a zombie. But the basics remained. So, taking full advanage of his liquid courage and anger at Luke for existing, he leaned forward and brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear.

The song Pretend I Never Loved You by Brett Young started to play. It was unusual, because this far west, most people despised country music.

How fitting the song was for what he was about to do.

"Well, _Rosie_ ," He chuckled a tiny bit, lowering his voice. The way she bit her lip didn't go unnoticed. "What time does your shift end?"

Carmen would cover for him, he was sure. It was the price of him not telling their parents she was dating a pothead.

"Five minutes." She breathed out.

"Perfect." He planted a soft kiss on her jaw. "What do you say we ditch this place? Go have a little fun."

He pushed away the flashes of every moment he spent with Andi, and the words that Jax warned him with, and his guilty conscience telling him that it was wrong to do this. _He loved Andi._

Phillip ignored it all.

"My place?" She whispered.

"Yeah." _Don't do it, Phillip._

"Let's go."


	12. Nine Years

**Back to moving more stories, I guess. Fun.**

 **Disclaimer: Yada yada yada, EWW isn't mine, you know the drill.**

* * *

 ** _Nine Years_**

 _Jaxy,_

 _Hey. I know this is a bit weird, but I wanted to say some things. And I feel like some things are easier written than, well, said. Please bear with me; it's been a long time since I've done this._

 _Nine years ago today, when you walked into my life, I had no idea what I was in for. You were wild, and very rebellious, and totally something new. I had never known someone could make me feel the way you did. I tried as hard as I could not to adknowledge it at first. It was a foreign feeling, and I guess I just... labeled it as wrong._

 _But it was absolutely, anything and everything but. You made me feel like my heart was beating again, when I'd felt so, for lack of better wording, normal. Remember what you told me 'E' said to you that night? When she told you that she felt alive for the first time in her, my, you know what I mean! When she said that she felt alive for the first time ever, that wasn't exclusive to her._

 _I was afraid of you, honestly. Not of you actually trying to hurt me, of your life being one that was going to chew me up and spit me out alive. Yet something about you just, drew me in. You were magnetic and I definitely knew it too._

 _You made me the person I am. We changed each other, for the best. And what came out it was magic. No pun intended. ;D_

 _I am the luckiest woman alive for getting to make up in your arms every morning, even when it's because Feya decided to get up at six am and have a "barbie party in Mommy and Daddy's room". Ahh, toddlers. What can you do? Locking them in closets is illegal._

 _These have been the best years of my life, and I am so glad to say that I've been married to you for five of them. You have given me more than I could ever want, including our gorgeous baby girl. And the ability to learn volume control. ;)_

 _Wow, that was sooo bad. I'm sorry, I had to._

 _I love you more than I think words can ever express. You turned my world upside down and honestly, I think I just got used to it. Happy nine years, Jaxy. I'm looking forward to many, many more._

 _Always yours,_

 _Em_


	13. Life

**Moving stories, again. It's almost four in the morning and I have school. Big oof.**

 **So, half my friends are at State, competing in their academic UIL events. I get to go next year, but I still am upset for now. I have no one and no where to eat lunch, since we all hide in their coach's room at lunch. I will figure it out, though. It's just a day.**

 **I have the final chapter of Missing Piece about halfway done. It's strange to think I'm wrapping it all up, now. I'm almost sad.**

 **Also, hooray! I finally fixed the errors. Only took a year and a half.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Every Witch Way.**

* * *

There were many things Andi could lose and not really miss.

Toolbox: replaceable. Cruz Lightning: She'd live. Phillip: okay well, not him.

But she certainly couldn't lose her best friend. But right now, that's exactly what she was doing. Because what was today?

Emma's wedding day. The day Birdman finally, officially took her away from Andi.

Andi stared into the Church Hall bathroom, blankly. She didn't know why it was called a Church Hall, because it wasn't a Church. But outside of this room was Jemma's wedding reception. The one that she, as the maid of honor, had to give a speech at in less than ten minutes.

And what was more? She'd been in there for thirty, and Emma hadn't come looking for her. She was probably too busy with Jax to even notice her best friend was missing.

Ouch. That thought stung.

But it was true. Andi knew this day was coming, from the first time they smiled at each other during lunch. Jax Novoa was going to sweep Emma off her feet and into a world where Andi went from super awesome best friend to... Andi. Just Andi.

She was married now. Emma was 20, and married, and the happiest Andi had ever seen her. She was selfish for hiding here, in this bathroom, while her best friend was enjoying the happiest day of her life. She was selfish for wishing she'd had just one more year. But, she couldn't help it.

"Andi? You in there?" Her boyfriend knocked on the door, softly. "Hey, your speech is in less than ten minutes! Emma is having a cow out there, and you know how my sister is when she has a cow!"

The guardian sighed, staring at her dress. Teal, with a pink ribbon instead of yellow, because she was the maid of honor. She disliked it, but it was Em's wedding and the other choice was covered in glitter.

"I'm coming." She unlocked the door, thankful that she had refrained from crying. Phillip looked at her curiously when she came out, seeing the look in her eyes.

"Why do you look like your car got painted pink and your grandma died?" Andi looked at him like he was insane, and rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. Let's just hurry the hell up, before Jax realizes how insane his wife really is." She chuckled, but Phillip knew she was hurting. He would have to ask again, later.

"All right. But only because my sister plus you equals a freaked out me."

She rolled her eyes, and dread piled up. This was it. Go time.

* * *

"Come on, come on, where the fuck is she?" Emma growled under her breath, having grabbed her hair so many times she had to have ruined it by then. Thank god pictures were over.

"Em. Emma, calm down. Andi will be here soon. You know your brother is scared of what you'll do if he doesn't bring her." Jax set his hands on her shoulders reassuringly, giving her a smile. But, Emma wasn't having it. Even her husband's undeniable charm couldn't penetrate her anxiousness. This was her wedding, damn it! Andi knew it had to be perfect!

"I'm stressed out. She's been game thirty minutes! Why isn't she here!" It wasn't a question, so much as a stressed shout, of course whispered, so the other guess wouldn't hear. But everyone except Jax's distant relatives, who she just met, knew something was up.

"Jees! Chill the hell out, glitter, I'm here." Emma had never been so happy to see five foot five (she forced Andi into heels) of baby blue fabric and brown hair. Thank the heavens!

"Andi! Where the hell have you been? Do you know where you are?" Emma scolded, walking away from Jax and toward that panting girl. Andi rolled her eyes.

"Em. I may have just done something shitty and walked away, but I'm not an idiot, or a bad best friend. I am well aware that I am at your wedding reception. And I am also aware that you're a perfectionist and just may kill me."

Emma huffed. "Whatever. Just get up there! It's time."

Andi did as she was told, taking a microphone from a stand, and climbed a chair to get a higher view. She could see the decorations, black white and pink, all gorgeous and elegant and so Emma-like.

Taking a deep breath, she panicked. At one point she wrote it all out, and memorized it. Lines about how happy she was for them, a crack about how Phillip really needed to get his act together, and something about how much she loved Emma.

But that all went flying. Because she wasn't happy. And lying on her best friend's wedding would make her the worst friend ever.

"Hi, everyone." She started, pursing her lips. "I'm not much for public speaking, really. Honest to god, I should have chosen not to be maid of honor the moment my best friend told me I'd have to compliment my frenemy during a speech at this damn thing." Everyone chuckled, and Andi felt sweat wet her palms. Cruzes didn't get nervous.

"But I did, because I was being a good friend. And she would have done the same for me. Everyone here today is happy, to the point that I find it ridiculous." She glanced at a now smiling Emma, who had returned to the place she had been standing in with Jax. "But, not all of us are as happy as we should be."

It took strength for her to jump back down. "You see, teenage girls are odd. They act jealous and bitchy sometimes. And well, I'm still nineteen, and my best friend got married. I'm not as happy as I ought to be, and that blows."

Emma was looking at her oddly, a slightly panicked grin on her face. Jax was just studying her.

"Everyone in this room knows why the start of sophomore year was so significant for these two. If you don't, you paid no attention. But it isn't just the day my best friend met the love of her life, for me. It's the day my best friend's life changed forever."

"When I walked through that door with you, Emma, we were fifteen. You were dating the dorky athlete you were living across from, didn't know how to control magic for the life of you, and somehow blushed more often than you still do." At that, as predicted, Em went red and looked at her feet. Jax hadn't reacted much, besides his jaw clenching at Daniel's mention. Of course. Married to her and he still couldn't put up with her having been with someone else.

"And then, your dad called you into the office. And from the moment he dropped that pen, it was game over. Fate was running its course."

She shut her eyes, briefly, and clenched her calves for support. It hurt, but it always helped.

"Because you didn't see it yet, but I did. I saw your eyes light up when he came around or someone said his name. I watched you get more daring, and don't blame the fool moon. I watched you fall in love, real love, before you knew you liked him as anything more than some hot wizard that you were friends with."

Andi felt a small pang of disgust, and looked at a very amused Jax. "Her words, not mine. Personally, I never saw it, and I never will, Birdman."

More laughter rang out, almost calming Andi down. "You say you knew she was yours before anyone. You're not right. Because I knew, before either of you, that it was a matter of time until you were in love. And I fought it with all I had."

She sighed. This was harder than she thought. "I gave you hell for every mistake you made because I knew, in the pit of my stomach, that you had her, hook line and sinker. And I made a promise with her, in freshman year, to fight adulthood with all we had. And the one thing I hate is broken promises."

Emma laughed in embarrassment, burying her face in her hands. "Oh my god! I can not believe you remember that!"

Andi laughed. "I do. I wasn't ready to let that go. There was no part of me the was willing to be replaced by some no good, rebel, bird hating wizard." It was a grumble, but she still refrained from saying "fearing" and replaced it with "hating", to be nice.

Both parts of Jemma rolled their eyes. "But, at some point between him nearly killing Daniel for hurting you at the Never Ending Summer Party, and saving you when you were sent into Zombie Apocalypse 3, I gained respect for him. He meant what he said, about changing, for your sake. And suddenly, I wasn't so angry at him."

It took all she had to do this. God, she despised weakness.

"I hated that. It suddenly wasn't him potentially playing you, and I hated it. Because you were falling for him all over again, and I was powerless. So no, I didn't hate him as badly. I hated the fact that he could make you smile just as much as I could."

Emma gave her a smile of sympathy. "You started to rely on one another. Suddenly, Jax was with you when you were scared of a storm. She stopped needing me for every magic question she ever had. And, I no longer fit the way I once did. He meant more."

There was a moment that Andi knew glitter would object to that, but she silenced her, stepping forward, staring Jax in the eyes. "But that's the way it should be. You should be the one she counts on. And, though it'll never happen, you should be the one with screen shots of her fights with others on your phone. Because you're her husband, and I'm her sister. And this is the way the world goes." Even if she hated it.

"If I had to be here today, Jax, handing over my card as her number one. If I had to be here, letting someone replace me, I'm glad it's you. Because yeah, I loved her first. But you love her more than I ever could, in any way."

He smiled, sincerely. "Thank you, Andi. I'm pretty sure this is the first time you've ever talked to me for over ten minutes without-"

"However!" Here she went. "Let me make this crystal clear. I may be handing her over, but I am still your wife's best friend. And I will still not hesitate to separate you from your testicles via chainsaw if you ever so much as make her think you aren't as in love with her as you should be." There she was.

Emma cringed. The word "testicles" only made it worse. Her face must have been the shade of the wine she was now drinking: dark red.

Jax laughed. "As you shouldn't."

Andi smiled. She didn't understand the physical attraction, but she most definitely understood why Emma had fallen in love with him. When they weren't playing their little game, Jax was actually a pretty good guy, who more than believed the threats to hurt him were validated.

She walked away, toward Emma, and took her wrists, standing closer than she'd been to Jax. "As for you, glitter. When he drives you to the brink of insanity, and he will, more than once." Emma snorted through the teats threatening to spill. "Don't be scared to give me a call, and play 'teen girl fighting adulthood with all she's got'. Even if we're eighty, I expect you to do it.

Emma nodded, and hugged her tightly. "Andi." The tears were starting to fall, and the maid of honor felt her own coming.

"Don't cry, Em. Maddie will kill you if you mess up your makeup." She giggled and let go, blinking the evidence away.

"I love you, sis."

"I love you more. Now." Andi paused, grabbed a glass of wine, and once again mounted the chair. "A toast. To Emma, the only woman on this Earth that could force me into this thing." More people laughed. Andi looked over her shoulder, and Jax have her a kind nod. "And to Jax. The only person I've ever seen put a bigger grin on her face than I can.

* * *

The toast portion of the party ended, and Andi slipped outside for air. About five minutes later, footsteps that had to belong to a guy, since no girl there was wearing flats, approached. She laughed humorlessly.

"Phillip, I'm fine! I told you before, I'm not-" She turned, and instead saw Jax standing five feet away. Confusion swept her. "Oh. Hey, Birdman. Shouldn't you be with Em?"

"Shouldn't you?" He countered, arms crossed. She shook her head.

"No. I'm not married to her."

"Ha ha, funny. Still, though. Why are you out here?"

She sighed, and shrugged. "Because, I want to be. Because, deep down, I want to be alone right now. Go back to your wife, Jax. God knows she doesn't need to have a panic attack because we're both gone."

"She knows exactly where I am. And no, she didn't send me." Both those facts surprised Andi. She leaned against her car, the daylight beginning to recede. On the other side of the building was the alter, and the outdoor part where Jemma had gotten married. The shadows cast and the colors were beautiful even to her.

"Oh, then why are you here?" He leaned against the car, next to her.

"Needed a break. I love her to death, but Emma is such a damn perfectionist I needed to step out a moment and let myself breathe. Phillip can suffer for ten minutes." Andi snorted. Poor Phil, always hearing Emma yap. She, him, and Jax were the other three of the four musketeers, and they all knew how bad she was.

"He will kill you."

"Em won't let him." He shrugged. She snorted again.

"No. She's saving your death for the day you really piss her off. Latina women are killers when they're pissed." A smirk crossed her face. He laughed.

"Whatever. Honestly, I'm counting down until this party ends and I actually get to take her home and be alone with my wife. God that sounds odd to call her." He paused to clear his throat, but Andi didn't miss the small smile on his face. "But, um. Who thought family got to have her more than me?"

Andi outwardly shrugged and stared at her feet. However, Andi inwardly chuckled and made a smart ass remark about why he was so excited to be alone with her.

"Deal with it, Birdman. One more hour then she's strictly yours for three weeks." He smiled at me.

"Yeah. I suppose I can deal. Really, though. Why are you here?"

Andi groaned. "I guess I couldn't take the disapproving stares the old people gave me. Either for my hair, my mouth, or my jealousy. You needed a break, and I did too." He nodded, and let it go, turning to face the sunset.

"Jax?"

"Yeah?" He answered.

"How exactly is your wife torturing my boyfriend?" She didn't want to know, the moment he smirked.

"By rubbing it in his squeamish face that he needs to grow up and propose already." I choking on air was a thing, Andi did it right then.

She didn't want to get married for another ten years!

"No thanks!"

He laughed, and a few minutes later a spooked Phillip begged them to come in and save his butt. They did, and a thought crossed Andi's mind.

Maybe adulthood didn't have to go fuck itself. Maybe, life was fun.

And, maybe, alcohol, friends, family, and her boyfriend made up for what still sucked ass.


End file.
